Special Considerations

Account Numbers

Account numbers are always indicated in Run Instructions as the standard account number format. Depending on how you set your Company File, you may have up to eight characters for a part of the account number.  The account numbers may be divided into three parts: a main account number of up to eight characters and two sub-account numbers (a profit center and department) of up to eight characters each.  The total number of characters for any account number may be up to fifteen (15) characters.  This includes any combination of the three parts equaling a TOTAL of fifteen characters or less.  The format of the account number is defined by the user via the Company Setup application in the Util-Setup pull-down window off the Elliott main menu bar.

When you are required to enter an account number, you enter the first part of the number and press RETURN, enter the second part of the number followed by RETURN, and then the third part of the number followed by RETURN.  If you realize that you have entered the first part of the number in error after you have already pressed RETURN the first time, press the key marked ESC and you will be allowed to enter the account number over again.

Inventory Quantity Fields

Quantity fields may be entered in four different formats depending on how the decimal fields in Company Setup are defined.  Quantities may be entered in integer format, one decimal point format, two decimal format or three decimal format.  The maximum quantity allowed for an item is determined by the quantity decimal field formats.

Zero Decimal                 999,999,999

One Decimal                     9,999,999.9

Two Decimal                         999,999.99

Three Decimal                        99,999.999

The Entry Field Descriptions within the Run Instruction in the package user manuals always refer to this as the standard quantity format or standard accumulator format, meaning one of the above formats.

Dates

The Company Date Format is determined in the Company Setup application.

If Company Date Format is American:

Dates are always entered in the format MMDDYY with no slashes where MM are the digits of the month (e.g., 08), DD are the digits of the day (e.g., 31), and YY the year (e.g., 01).  So, to enter August 31, 2001 you would enter 083101.  Since dates are formatted as they are entered, the leading zero for single digit months must be entered.  The entry field descriptions within the Run Instructions always refer to this as

The Standard Date Format, meaning MMDDYY.

If Company Date Format is European:

Dates are always entered in the format DDMMYY with no slashes where DD are the digits of the day (e.g., 31), MM are the digits of the month (e.g., 08) and YY the year (e.g., 01).  So, to enter August 31, 2001 you would enter 310801.  The Entry Field Descriptions within the Run Instructions always refer to this as the standard date format, meaning DDMMYY.

Year Date Conventions:  01 (YY) – 29 (YY) represent 2001 – 2029.  This convention is valid until 2029

Numeric Entries

Numeric entries are always entered without commas.  After entry, the number will be redisplayed with commas.  A decimal point must be entered only if there are non-zero digits to the right of the decimal point.

Yes/No Answers

When a field a Yes/No answer, the following entries are valid:

Y, y or 1 will be taken as a Yes answer.

N, n or 2 will be taken as a No answer.

This has been done so that you can enter an answer without taking your hand off the numeric keypad.

Back-up

One of the major advantages of transferring your bookkeeping to a computer is the reduction of paper files.  Information will now be stored in your computer system on a hard disk.  This information is contained in files called data files.

About 25 data files are used with each of the Elliott Software packages.  All of the data files may be recognized as having an extension of .DAT or .BTR.

When To Back-Up

There are many incidents that may cause the loss or destruction of data files.  A few of these are listed below.

•   A power failure or printer fault may cause the improper transfer of data.  This problem only occurs during any posting operation.  Therefore, the data files should be backed up prior to posting.

•   A fire may destroy the computer and storage device.  Therefore the back-up media should be stored in a safe place.

•   A thief may break into your facility and steal your computer equipment.  For this reason, we also recommend you secure your data with passwords.

•   A bad sector on a hard disk may corrupt a data file.  Many times the Elliott File Utilities will fix the corrupted file.  However, if this procedure fails, the last back-up copy must be restored.

•   A magnetic device will destroy data stored on a floppy diskette or hard disk if it is placed close enough.

It is recommended that the data files be backed up at least twice a week and a temporary back up should be done prior to any posting operation.  A permanent back up should be performed before your month-end procedures are performed.

On-Line Help

Application Overview

The Elliott Help System is an on-line contact sensitive reference source.  When activated by pressing Shift + F1 or the tool bar Help Question icon.  It will display a window explaining the portion of the package where the cursor is positioned.

For example, if you are in Accounts Receivable and press Shift + F1 or the Help Question icon, a window will display explaining the Package Overview.  If the information you need were in Customer File Maintenance, you would go to the Customer File Maintenance application and ask for help.  This would display the application overview for Customer File Maintenance.

The further you go into a package, the more specific the help screen gets.  The Help screen will go from the most general (Package Overview) to the most specific (an individual field).  If you were in Customer File Maintenance, screen 1, Field 10 (Contact) and pressed Shift + F1 or the Help Question icon, the window would display specific information about that field.

                                           Customer File Help

When you call the Help screen, it will display information about the field where the cursor lies, but will also give you access to the rest of help by using Page Up/Page Down or Up Arrow/Down Arrow.  This is so you have the convenience of viewing information on other fields related to the specific field in question.